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One of Perth’s most iconic homes, built by high-profile businessman Alan Bond and his wife Eileen, has sold for $27.5 million, in what could set a property sales record for Perth this year.

The spectacular riverfront mansion at 89 Watkins Road in Dalkeith is believed to have been purchased by former bodybuilder Danny Pavlovich and his wife Suzie. Mr Pavlovich is the chief executive of Nutrition Systems, a distributor of supplements and nutritional products.

But the hefty price tag is well shy of the $50 million it was originally listed for in 2017 before Mr Bond’s real estate agent daughter Jody Fewster took over the listing last year with a heavily reduced price guide of $35 million.

The spectacular riverfront mansion might have set a property sales record for Perth. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

Originally designed by renowned Perth architect Geoffrey Summerhayes and updated by Andrew Boughton, the 6406sqm estate is spread over six titles on a quiet cul-de-sac and takes in 270-degree views of the Swan River.

The six-bedroom, eight-bathroom residence offers an array of resort-style features, including a swimming pool with a 12-seat swim-up bar, a sauna, indoor squash court, floodlit tennis court, gymnasium, children’s playroom and stunning dressing room fit for a princess.

There are three kitchens, a walk-in cool room and a quaint basement wine cellar and tasting room with storage capacity for 10,000 bottles. On the lower level is a marble-floored ballroom complete with a stage for a band, as well as a 21-seat cinema.

Alan Bond’s former mansion

There is no shortage of splendour in this beautiful home. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

Life is like a never-ending holiday in the resort-style pool with swim-up bar. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

The cellar of every wine lover’s dreams. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

This home offers the ultimate hideaway. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

You’ll never run out of car spaces in this garage. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

The riverfront views are some of the best in Perth. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

Ms Fewster declined to confirm the sale price or the identity of the new owners, other than to say the property had been sold to a “beautiful young family”.

“I don’t have any emotional attachment to the house other than a lot of memories of fantastic parties and [having] lots of friends over,” Ms Fewster said. “It was so much fun for me to sell because it’s full of great memories – I got married on the tennis court and my husband proposed to me there.

“I just think that it’s so nice that it’s going to a beautiful young family who is going to keep it and enjoy it.”

Ms Fewster said the sale of such an exclusive property in the current COVID-19 market was remarkable.

“Quite frankly, getting the figure we got in the market that we’re in is pretty special. I’ve had five offers since October and that was the best offer,” she said.

The property was sold by Eileen Bond in 1995.

Since then it has had a string of renowned owners including mining magnates Ross Atkins and Barry Patterson. The current owner Sue Gibson, bought the property with her then-husband, mining tycoon Steve Wyatt, for $39 million in 2011.

Over the years the property has entertained the likes of Elton John, Neil Diamond and Bob Dylan, as well as former prime ministers Paul Keating and Bob Hawke.

The sale is expected to settle in late September.

The post Alan Bond’s former mansion sells for record price of $27.5m appeared first on realestate.com.au.

They’ve been around for a while, but virtual tours of properties for sale and rent have really come into their own in 2020.

Between COVID-19 rules restricting movement in some parts of Australia to a more general growing preference for everything to be available online, virtual tours are the new must-have for selling and rental campaigns.

While agents usually shoot footage themselves or outsource to a professional videographer, property owners themselves are increasingly being asked to take footage, too.

Regardless of who is doing the filming, there are five golden rules to follow. Here’s the top tips from the experts.

1. Style it up

Atlanta Bell is from Brisbane-based Hocus and specialises in creating high-resolution 360° virtual tours and virtual interactive tours for yet-to-be-built properties. She said before even picking up a phone or camera, think about how rooms are styled.

“Adding in details like artwork or floral arrangements can really make a room ‘pop’. If your space has a lot of character, consider removing some decorative elements so prospects can envision how they themselves would style it,” Ms Bell said. “Also ensure everything is as neat and tidy as possible.”

Adding some style to the rooms in your home could make your virtual tour stand out from the rest. Picture: Getty.

2. Plan your route & pick your spots

James Kirkland, from Upside Realty, said before filming, it’s wise to walk through the property a few times to plan the most logical path to follow.

“Start from the street, or the front door if it’s an apartment, and walk through your property in a way that flows most naturally. It can become disorientating following the lay-out of the house via video, so it’s a good idea to try not to turn back on yourself where possible,” Mr Kirkland said.

He added that when planning the route, find the best vantage points for each of the main spaces and look for a spot that gives a good indication of the entire space – it’s often the same place a photo would be taken from.

3. Get stable

There’s nothing worse than shaky footage, but it can be avoided. Most good smart phones have in-built stabilisers nowadays, but alternatively, an add-on stabiliser, also called a gimbal, can be purchased for about $100. A cheaper alternative, Mr Kirkland said, may be a selfie stick or tripod.

“The most important thing is to think about is the viewer when you are creating the footage. Consciously making camera movements slow and steady is the key to avoiding nausea-inducing footage,” he said.

4. Think about lighting

Stuart Greig, a Jim’s Real Estate franchisor, said lighting should also be a key consideration when taking footage of a home.

Mid-morning is often the most optimal time to capture the best light in your home. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

“The best time of the day to shoot will depend on the direction the home faces. You don’t want to see shadows of adjoining homes filtering through the video and you also don’t want overshadowing of homes into your garden areas,” he said.

Mr Kirkland said the simplest way to think about it is: for outdoor footage, make sure the sun is facing the front of the property, and for internal, film when rooms are bright and the light feels natural.

“The safest time for this tends to be mid-morning when the light is clean compared to afternoon sun, which has more of an orange glow to it. Unless a room is bathed in light, it’s also a good idea to turn on internal lighting and open blinds to introduce more light,” Mr Greig said.

5. Focus on the positives

It seems obvious, but key to a winning virtual tour is filming the property in a way that shows off its best features, Mr Greig said.

“Think about what you love in the home and try to include those elements to shine through the lens of your camera,” he said.

If you have great water views, make sure they feature in your virtual tour video. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

Mr Kirkland said while during a normal inspection, a prospective buyer can look around the room, with a virtual tour, they only see what they’re shown.

“If you have amazing water views, they will only know this if you point the camera out the window. You know your property and its best features more than anyone else, so take the time to make a list of these features and ensure you show off the best ones.”

The post Five top tips for filming a winning virtual property tour appeared first on realestate.com.au.

17 william Street, West Hobart,

WHEN this West Hobart fixer-upper hit the market, it immediately caused a stir with buyers who love to renovate, builders and property watchers.

In the week that it launched No.17 William Street zoomed to the top of the realestate.com.au charts as the most viewed home in Tasmania.

Then over the past three weeks it has piled up near 16,000 views on the property site — and counting. That’s a figure heading toward Tassie’s Top 10 most viewed of the year.

17 William Street, West Hobart,

Property representative Brad Stephens from Devine Property said he had shown over 100 groups through the property and received over 50 email inquiries.

He said it had been incredibly popular, one of the most popular he has taken to market.

“It is such a unique little property … but the response, that has blown me away,” Brad said.

“I’ve not sold a home in need of this much work before.

“And the consensus among my colleagues is that it’s among the worst they’ve seen. It fits that ‘worst house, best street’ moniker.

“Interestingly, the majority of interest we’ve had is from people who want to restore what is there. They want to rebuild it from the inside out and restore it to its former glory.

“Being a bit rough around the edges is actually attractive to buyers rather than off-putting.

“Then there are others that might prefer to knock it down and start from scratch.”

17 william Street, West Hobart,

Mr Stephens said a rundown house that people can put their stamp on in this suburb was always going to be a hit with buyers.

He described the small cottage as having “an amazingly quaint nature”.

17 william Street, West Hobart,

“The location means an owner can easily walk to everything the city offers. It is just steps from the golden triangle of Forest Road and Goulburn Street,” he said.

“The tiny little plot, just 172sq m, is a defining feature. That is one of the things people have been remarking about at inspections — not in a good or bad way, it’s just something that grabs attention.”

17 william Street, West Hobart,

The 77sq m weatherboard cottage offers a two-bedroom single-bathroom floorplan.

There is a combined living and dining space, a kitchen and a separate outhouse.

The home was owned by a well-liked older man who passed a few months ago.

Mr Stephens said while the property was not listed on the Tasmanian Heritage Register, he recommends prospective purchasers make their own inquiries prior to bidding at auction.

No.17 William Street, West Hobart is heading to auction on Saturday August 29 at noon.

It will be open to inspect tomorrow from 12.30pm-1pm and on auction day from 11.30am-12pm.

The post The worst house in one of Hobart’s best suburbs appeared first on realestate.com.au.

5 Lindeith Court, Sandy Bay. Petrusma

FROM its perch on high overlooking the city and the river, life is pretty grand at No.5 Lindeith Court.

This elevated neighbourhood in Sandy Bay could claim to have one of the finest views of Hobart as it wraps from the mountain, past the city lights, across the bridge to the Eastern Shore and then down the river too.

Built in the early ‘90s in a Mediterranean Revival architectural style, No.5 has not been on the market in about a decade.

5 Lindeith Court, Sandy Bay. Petrusma

Petrusma Property auctioneer and property consultant, Stuart Benson, described this three-bedroom family home as “a stunner”.

“This gorgeous property would be well suited to a family who require space and convenience, or a professional couple who simply want to enjoy the lifestyle that Sandy Bay provides,” he said.

“Over the past nine years, the vendors have very much enjoyed making this property their home.”

Complementing the property’s panoramic views, it also boasts gorgeous gardens.

“The best features of this unique property would have to be the stunning panoramic outlook over the river and city, as well as the captivating walled garden with private courtyards,” Stuart said.

“From each level of the property you are provided with different aspects of the water views and no vantage point is better than that of north-facing first floor deck — it must truly be seen to be believed.

“The Mediterranean Revival architecture of this property helps inspire thoughts of warm sun, cool drinks and bright flavours.

“And I cannot think of a better place to entertain friends in the coming summer than in the professionally landscaped gardens of this privately positioned property.”

5 Lindeith Court, Sandy Bay. Petrusma

Entry into the house is via the front courtyard, highlighted by the trickling sounds of a water feature.

An atrium foyer leads to the expansive open plan living space, which contains multiple formal and informal areas for relaxation, entertaining and dining.

Floor-to-ceiling windows frame those unobstructed views of the river, city and beyond.

From the reading area, the spectacular scenery is drawn into the home while also providing access to an elevated sundeck with a frameless glass balustrade.

5 Lindeith Court, Sandy Bay. Petrusma

Generous storage, quality appliances and stone benchtops feature in the large kitchen.

Off the living area there is a separate study that could serve as a media room or a potential fourth bedroom.

Downstairs, the master bedroom suite has a private balcony overlooking the garden and river. There is a walk-in wardrobe and a spacious ensuite with a shower and a spa bath where the homeowner can relax with a glass of bubbly while enjoying the vista.

A central bathroom services two double size bedrooms, one of which is currently configured as a media room. The other enjoys external access. Both bedrooms have built-in wardrobes.

This floor is home to a studio with internal and external access. This space could suit a variety of functions including a home office.

5 Lindeith Court, Sandy Bay , Petrusma,

Throughout the property there is reverse cycle airconditioning, central gas heating, a monitored security system, off-street and undercover parking, a separate laundry and a lower level workshop with storage space.

Outside, the professional landscaping provides for generous paved areas and an entirely walled garden that creates numerous secluded spaces to enjoy.

Both the upper and lower gardens are private and have been beautifully laid out with an abundance of colourful rhododendrons and

camellias together with mature cypresses and Japanese maples.

5 Lindeith Court, Sandy Bay , Petrusma,

Reticulation ensures the entire garden is evenly watered and easily managed.

No.5 Lindeith Court is ideally located in an attractive, quiet street near Sandy Bay Beach and Lipscombe Larder.

It is just five minutes from the University of Tasmania, and in proximity of schools, shops and parks.

***

SANDY BAY

5 Lindeith Court

Price: Offers over $1.55 million

Materials Rendered brick, tile

House size 240sq m

Land area 789sq m

Agent: Petrusma Property Howrah refer Stuart Benson, Jake Towns 6247 7877

realestate.com.au ID: 134180690

The post A gem in one of Hobart’s most desirable suburbs appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Street artist Gus Eagleton paints a Mirvac construction site.

Veteran Australian property developers are giving back to their communities through creative partnerships that inspire through words and pictures.

On the banks of the Brisbane River, Frasers Property Australia has teamed up with the Northshore Men’s Shed to build a community library for the 1000 residents of Hamilton Reach in partnership with Bunnings hardware store.

Hamilton Reach resident Lesley Swift donates books to the new Hamilton Reach Community Bookswap Library. Picture: Renae Droop/RDW Photography

While in the heart of the city, Mirvac property group has teamed up with the Brisbane Street Arts Festival to beautify its construction site at 80 Ann St, handing the gantry and timber hoardings over to street artists like aerosol painter Gus Eagleton and graphic artist Tori-Jay Mordey, Ash Taylor and The Zookeeper who have transformed the inner-city construction site.

Street artists working on the Mirvac building site in the city.

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This home will have you climbing the walls

“It’s incredibly powerful giving a public space to an artist to create an artwork,” Brisbane Street Art Festival artistic director and Vast Yonder director Lincoln Savage said.

“It builds a report with the public and makes people feel more comfortable in these spaces. If you look at the construction site pre-artwork, you don’t feel welcome, now you can see as the artwork is coming on it creates a more warm environment. It gives public spaces back to the people who inhabit those spaces.”

Residents at Hamilton Reach have been asked to donate a book to their new book swap library which opened adjacent to the wharf timber sculpture outside Riverlight at 320 MacArthur Ave, Hamilton last week.

For Frasers Property Australia development director, Jamisen Rivera, the project has been about value adding for residents and creating a deeper sense of belonging at a time when localism has seen a resurgence in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns.

“The value of what we have created at Hamilton Reach is as much about the truly connected masterplanned community as it is about urban design and diversity of architecture,” Ms Rivera said.

Hamilton Reach community champions Carla Moretti, Marion Allard (Community Development Manager, Frasers Property Australia), John Ryan, Sheila Wyldbore, Roy Olsen, Stefan Chetty, Jacinta Oska, and Bron Kovacs at the launch of the Hamilton Reach Community Bookswap Library. Picture: Renae Droop/RDW Photography.

“The Hamilton Reach Book Swap Library was an initiative of a group of Hamilton Reach residents who took their idea to our dedicated community development manager. We were extremely happy to support the idea and are very proud of the way the community has come together, particularly during the past six months.”

Mirvac, which operates in the retail, residential and commercial construction space, uses public art to differentiate its developments from other builds however this is the first time Mirvac has worked with Vast Yonder and the Brisbane Street Arts Festival on a construction site.

“When you’re buying a property from Mirvac, it is regarded as a very high quality product that’s enhanced not just by the quality of the building but also the urban fabric, the artwork and the public open space,” Mirvac project director Cris Johansen said.

“We’re doing the same here at 80 Ann. We’ll have a water feature lit at night and a misting system so in the right weather that will add character to the place.”

Mr Savage said the Mirvac partnership was putting a spotlight on street art and its potential to enhance public buildings as well as private homes, giving artists a much-needed boost during an incredibly difficult period for the arts sector.

Gus Eagleton’s work features in private homes in Brisbane.

“I love that we are seeing some residential properties embracing public art,” he said.

“It does increase the property price and it’s great for artists when the arts industry is so affected through COVID.”

Australian researchers see clear links between public art and a more defined sense of place, making a location more attractive for home buyers, particularly those who appreciate art and culture.

Overseas research from the UK’s Affordable Art Fair in 2017 showed 43 per cent of British people would prefer to live near great street art than a coffee shop and 32 per cent would pay up to £50,000 extra for a property in an area with colourful street art.

The post Brisbane developers give graffiti art and books the green light appeared first on realestate.com.au.